Ice fishing wrap-up: What lessons were learned this year on Idaho’s hardwater?
Ice fishing season is one of my favorite times of the year. There’s something special about venturing out onto a frozen lake, drilling holes in the ice and trying to coax a fish out. It really is a unique Idaho winter activity.
Like any kind of angling, hardwater fishing provides avenues for learning and improvement. Taking a fishing class and conducting background research is certainly helpful, but there’s no replacement for hours spent learning on the water. As the ice fishing season winds down, here’s a look back at some of the most valuable lessons I learned (or was reminded of):
Early ice rules
The saying is true: Early ice often provides the best fishing of the season, especially for trout. Early ice fishing is a tricky balance — you need to make sure the ice is safe (at least four inches) first — but the reward for being one of the first groups on a lake is usually rich. Once you’ve learned which trout fisheries are early freezers, prioritize those on your calendar. Perch fishing can wait until February.
Success travels
With some of my favorite spots unavailable because of the drought, trying new places was a theme this season. It can be intimidating to fish new territory, especially without the advantage of a boat. A big takeaway for me: Stick with your favorites.
The bulk of my fish this season were caught on some variation of a tungsten nymph tipped with wax worm, a homemade jig head tipped with cut bait, or dead sticks rigged with various baits. On my first-ever trip to Cedar Creek Reservoir, my group had a successful day by replicating our tried-and-true setup from Mormon Reservoir (which is dry). When I targeted ice bluegills for the first time, I used smaller versions of my go-to summer panfish lures.
Experimentation is great — a new spoon I bought caught a 19-inch trout the first time I dropped it in a hole — but starting with a known winner is usually a good strategy on unfamiliar water.
New gear takes patience
It took me about a season to really get dialed in on using my Vexilar flasher — now, it’s one of the most valuable fishing tools I own. This year, my new purchase was a jigging Jaw Jacker, an automated rod holder that jigs a lure for you and, in theory, sets the hook when a fish bites. My Jaw Jacker caught some nice fish and had some memorable moments, but its overall catch rate has not been as high as I had hoped. Still, I’m willing to keep tinkering and refining my setup until results improve.
Never give up on a fish
I enjoy the challenge of ice fishing — pulling a big fish through a hole in the ice on light tackle is no easy task. It’s heartbreaking when a lunker escapes, but next time that happens to you, here’s a hint: Send your lure right back down. Several times this season, my friends and I had a would-be escapee re-take our bait almost immediately after coming unhooked. The same thing happened on my state record catch in 2020, so I’m calling it a trend. Second chances for the win!
Enjoy the tail end of the ice fishing season, and stay safe out there. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.